Three's a Crowd
by Coraline Morgan
Summary: Josef & Emma saga pt 6 Do vampires dream after all?


**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Emma, the original character, and the plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Characters:** Josef; Emma; Mick.

**Rating:** M Violence; high level sex scene; strong adult themes.

**Timeline: **this takes place soon after the events of _Happy Rebirthday_.

**Three's a Crowd. **

The first blow came as a shock. Even with my vampire reflexes, I failed to react quickly enough; the second impact was shattering. I managed to avoid a third by rolling out of bed and running for the bathroom.

Squinting against the glare of dawn, the mirror revealed how much blood was streaming from my nose. I clenched my teeth and pushed the bone and cartilage back into place; the grating noise was sickening. A splash of cold water washed away the evidence of violence and soothed the pain as the healing progressed.

A minute later, I looked fine.

I returned to the bedroom to find Josef sitting on the edge of our bed, frowning. His eyes searched my face.

"I can smell your blood. What happened?"

"Apparently we both fell asleep." I smiled with the memory of the lovemaking that had made us both so tired. "Then you must have had a bad dream because you lashed out in your sleep–"

"Emma, how many times do I need to tell you that _we don't dream_?"

Josef's gaze dropped to the floor. I followed suit and knelt on the floor at his feet, my hands resting lightly on his thighs as I demanded his attention.

"Josef, you've told me before that you'll never lie to me – please don't start now." I stroked my hands couple of inches up and down his bare legs. "Don't shut me out. Something is bothering you enough to make you ... to disturb your sleeping pattern."

Josef raised his eyes. His fingertips traced my face from temple to chin. When he spoke, his voice was barely audible, even to me.

"Did I hurt you?"

"You gave me a bloody nose ..." I turned my head from side to side. "See? No harm done."

"That agency freshie must have had drugs in her system. There's _no_ other explanation for the hallucinations."

I sighed. Josef rolled his eyes. He hated it when I sighed; he claimed it reminded him of Coraline.

The sunlight was spearing into our bedroom around the edges of the heavy drapes. We had very little time before we'd be forced to retreat to our freezer. Still, I had to get to the bottom of my husband's problem.

"Josef, it's very late ... I just want to curl up with you and sleep for at least six hours ... but first, please tell me about the hallucination."

I laid my head on his thigh and waited. His cool fingers ran through my hair; I closed my eyes.

"I was lying here thinking how soft your skin is ... and I remember being aware that you had stopped breathing. I know how much you enjoy the bed so I closed my eyes, intending to let you sleep for a few minutes before freezer time. The next thing I knew, I was in Mick's apartment, sitting on a chair with my back to the fireplace. Then you and Mick arrived home. He opened the door and you walked in, laughing. You were wearing a beautiful red dress–"

"But I don't wear red."

Fingers caught in my hair.

"Do you want to hear about this or not?" Josef snapped.

I nodded.

"You and Mick had obviously been out for a night on the town. You looked up into his face and–" Josef's voice faltered. "And you took your wedding ring off. I watched as you put your ring on the kitchen bench. Mick held out one hand and you walked straight into his arms. Music began to play. You pressed your body against his and laid your head against his chest. I couldn't move ... couldn't speak ... _couldn't look away_. You slid your hands up around Mick's neck, and he began to stroke your hair. His hands played up and down your spine and you sighed. Then the music changed tempo and you looked up into Mick's face. He moved one hand to the back of your neck then he leaned down and kissed you."

Josef cleared his throat.

"Mick took a step backwards and I thought he'd come to his senses, but he reached for your hand and led you upstairs ... I didn't need to be in the room to know what he was doing to you. I knew your every moan ... every sigh ... I could imagine exactly where his hands were ... where his mouth was ... what he was doing to you. I heard you react in ecstasy when he bit you."

Josef went silent and I raised my head; he laid one hand on my cheek and wordlessly encouraged me to place my head back on his thigh.

"I tried to move from the chair but I was paralysed. There was nothing to do but wait. Then a movement caught my eye ... you had walked into the kitchen, naked. You looked so ... so _contented_. You went to Mick's fridge and poured yourself a glass of that god-awful stale blood he drinks. Mick called your name and you smiled. A moment later, he walked up behind you. He pulled you back against himself and slid his arms around your waist ... you responded by leaning back against him. You looked so petite in his arms. The two of you were facing me but you were oblivious – you were so caught up in each other."

Josef's fingers once again tangled painfully in my hair, and I winced. It took all of my self-control to refrain from saying: _Of courses we were oblivious – none of this is real – you were having a bad dream! _Instead, I swallowed my words and waited.

"I struggled again to move, but ..." he shrugged. "Mick moved one hand to your breast and the other down between your thighs. I watched your face ... watched as your eyes closed and your lips parted ... then he leaned down and told you how good you smelled – _because you smelled like him._ He grazed your neck with his fangs and licked the blood away. You responded by running your fingers through his hair ... and slipping your other hand behind your back to touch ..."

I heard Josef swallow hard. Listening to his description of the surreal images that were playing through his mind was breaking my heart.

"You moaned and he offered you his wrist ... as you ... _bit down_ ... he sank his fangs into your throat ..."

Josef caressed my neck; it was a gesture of comfort rather than possessiveness. My tears fell upon his leg. I was at a loss, so I waited.

"I tried to yell – but I was mute. So I fought with all my strength against whatever force held me. Finally I was able to move and I was about to tear Mick apart when I smelled your blood. Then I blinked and I was home – here – but you weren't."

I longed to say that Mick and I would never have an affair – but given Josef's horrible dream, I was afraid to even say Mick's name in case my slightly paranoid husband read something into it. So I took an entirely different approach.

"Josef, are you going to demand that the agency freshie be drug-tested?"

"Yes."

"Good – because if she has drugs in her system, _I'll kill her myself_."

With one finger under my chin, Josef tilted my face towards his.

"I love you, Emma."

"I love you, too."

*****


End file.
